Strip

She danced in front of the window, 
snowflakes glowing behind her 
under the streetlight. The blue silk blouse
slipped off her arms and floated out of sight. 
Black slacks into a shadow, then 
the quick shiver, the beautiful awkward gesture 
into nakedness. Her skin startled me--
luminous or pale, depending. We didn't know

each other well, but it was my turn,
so I raised my arms above my head 
and tried to shake. We both wanted to know 
something about somebody. My clothes 
piled beneath me in a clump.

The striptease didn't do much 
for either of us, but by then
we were chilled and fell against 
each other's skin.

Snow under streetlights landed
layer upon layer.
            We fell forward, 
then fell apart against the sheets, 
cold again, and wet. She whispered 
in my ear, and I pulled the blankets 
up over us. I knew her name, 
so I whispered that.